Product Description

The year is 1916. The First World War has engulfed Europe and Sir William's and Lady Elizabeth's three sons are all in uniform-and their four daughters are involved in various pursuits of the heart and soul.

Publisher's Description

For fans of the hugely popular Downton Abbey series, comes this equally enthralling story of the Danforth family of Ashton Park.

Among the green hills and trees of Lancashire, only a few miles from the sea, lies the beautiful and ancient estate of Ashton Park.

The year is 1916. The First World War has engulfed Europe and Sir William's and Lady Elizabeth's three sons are all in uniform and their four daughters are involved in various pursuits of the heart and soul.

As the head of a strong Church of England family for generations, Sir William insists the Danforth estate hold morning devotions that include both family and staff. However, he is also an MP and away at Westminster in London whenever Parliament is sitting. During his long absences, Lady Elizabeth discreetly spends time in the company of the head cook of the manor, Mrs. Longstaff, who is her best friend and confidante. This friendship includes visits to a small Baptist church in Liverpool that exposes Lady Elizabeth to a less formal approach to Christian worship and preaching than she is used to and which she comes to enjoy.

Readers will follow Ashton Park's charming upstairs/downstairs characters through the perils of war and the affairs of the heart with relish and with an eye to the sequel coming in Fall 2013.

I thoroughly enjoyed the setting of Ashton Park. The world of the wealthy, estate-owning lords and ladies has always been fascinating to me! Add to that the intrigue and danger of a world war, as well as a generous sprinkling of romance, and you have a thoroughly entertaining read! I would recommend this book to my friends!

This book was a gift to me from Murray Pura. My opinions, however, are my own!

Ashton Park is the first book in The Danforths of Lancashire trilogy. I enjoyed this family and reading about their lives during and directly after WWI. There are seven Danforth children to follow and we pick up portions of their stories as we read. Those stories build throughout the novel, adding up to very interesting lives. It took me a little bit of time to warm up to the characters, since there are so many to follow and the stories skip between siblings throughout the book, however, I now feel very invested in these characters and am looking forward to reading book two in the series, titled Beneath the Dover Sky.

I enjoyed learning more about the English and Irish conflicts, as well as watching as different family members developed deeper faith in God. The family at the end of the book has had quite a transformation from the family that we are originally introduced to in the beginning. This book is packed with a lot of history, many characters and spans seven years time. An enjoyable read.

Looking for a book set in England? What about a family that interacts with their servants? You will find those and so much more in this book! I gave this book 5/5 stars. I loved the characters in the story. They seemed so real. You will put the book down and want to pick it back up and see what they are going to do next. I liked that it held my interest the whole time and was also very entertaining. I would recommend this book to all fans of historical Christian fiction books. You will find likeable characters, a great setting and a fun read!

I would like to thank the publisher for the copy of this book I enjoyed reading. I gave an honest review based on my opinion of what I read.

Set in the early 1900s during WWI, Sir William and Lady Elizabeth Danforth, along with their seven adult children, reside in Ashton Park estate in Lancashire, England. Meanwhile, downstairs in the estate, lives the many household staff and servants. Through turmoil, adventure, romance, drama, heartache and social class interaction, the Danforths experience life to the fullest (albeit not always the easy life of high society).

A PENNY FOR MY THOUGHTS:

Though I did manage to keep the cast straight, upon opening the book, I found a list of the many characters involved in the novel which could have served as a helpful reference. Perhaps due to the sheer volume, I did not ever really connect to the individuals in the story; as a result, I found myself having trouble relating to the book. The descriptions of the area were picturesque yet the writing itself struck me as a bit stuffy (maybe due to the privileged society within?). Although Ashton Park may resonate with fans of the Downton Abbey Series on PBS, it was not a genre which I thoroughly enjoyed. Watch for a sequel to the Danforths of Lancashire.

RATING:

3.5 (out of 5) pennies

*I received a complimentary copy of Ashton Park from Harvest House Publishers for my honest review*

Murray Pura in his new book, "Ashton Park" Book One in The Danforths of Lancashire series published by Harvest House Publishers takes us into the life of Victoria Danforth and the goings on at her home, Ashton Park.

From the Back Cover: Behind the doors of the ancient and magnificent Ashton Park estate, there lurks the high drama of romance between the nobility and the household staff.

But when war (and interference from a meddlesome sister) separates Victoria Danforth from Ben Whitecross-one of her father's groomsmen-the young woman assumes she'll never see her beloved again.

Victoria's plight is just one of the obstacles facing the seven adult children of Sir William and Lady Elizabeth Danforth. The three sons, Edward, Kipp and Robbie, are all in uniform facing mortality daily. Victoria's sisters-Catherine, Emma and Libby-each face their own hurdles to happiness with the men in their lives.

Meanwhile, downstairs, Mr. And Mrs. Seabrooke oversee the household staff with a stern hand, sending anyone foolish enough to fall in love with a Danforth on their way packing. But what can they do when it is a Danforth who falls in love with a member of the staff?

Join the lords and ladies, servants, and household staff of Ashton Park as they face the perils of war and affairs of the heart.

If you are a fan of Downtown Abby, you'll enjoy your visit to Ashton Park.

"Ashton Park" is a high quality drama involving the family of Lord and Lady Danforth. They and the lives of their seven children play out against the backdrop of World War I in 1916. The three sons are all serving their country while the four daughters are all at home. Then there are the lives of the household staff led by Mrs. Seabrooke, best friend of Lady Danforth, and how they play out with the Danforths. Murray Pura knows how to write great stories and "Ashton Park" is a great story. Mr. Pura has given us well thought out characters that, each, have a life and identity of their own. You come to care for these individuals as they try to live out their lives according to the rules of society. Mr. Pura explores the differences between the Upper Class and the Servants and how they are not supposed to mingle. He also explores the fact that God created men and women, not upper and lower classes, and that men and women are drawn to each other despite their societal standing. Set aside the chores, order take out for dinner, make yourself comfortable because once you get started reading "Ashton Park" you are not going to want to stop until the pages run out-and even then. This book will keep you up late until you finish it so I recommend that you start reading early. Mr. Pura does a wonderful job with all his characters you would think you had known them all your life. "Ashton Park" is a great read and I am already looking forward to the next book in the wonderful series..

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free from Wynn-Wynn Media for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."